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Bridal Fair [October 2010]

13 Oct

Well now, it has been quite the busy couple weeks. I launched of my new website www.BigPicPhoto.com, I created the graphic design for my handouts and business cards, and I prepared some high resolution slideshows for the Bridal Fair last weekend. I’ve been pretty swamped. But it was worth it. The bridal show went very well and I handed out lots of business cards to brides-to-be throughout the day.

I also got a chance to go and take some pictures at the wedding dress fashion show they did in the morning. It was pretty easy to take great photos considering I had pretty ladies in pretty dresses walking down a well lit runway (albeit weirdly lit at some points ~ why did they have the blue lights on so much?). Here is a link to the album on my Facebook page.

The fashion show pictures were taken with a new lens I recently purchased; an 85mm f1.8 prime lens. I’m super happy with it. It’s very sharp and good a focusing….probably better than any of my other lenses. My previous post about my 50mm lens said that it was my favourite lens for parties and hanging out with friends….but the 85mm might join the 50mm in the winners circle after I test it out a bit more.

I’ve added a new slideshow widget to my blog, so I thought I’d drop it in here to show off the bridal fair photos. Enjoy!

 
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Posted in Photography, Slideshow

 

Shooting 50mm

24 Sep

When I go to a party, I often like to bring my camera and bring only one lens: my 50mm f1.8 prime lens.

I use that lens for two reasons:

  1. When I have a fixed lens at 50mm I am forced to find interesting angles and I am forced to move to get the kind of shot that I might want. The picture ends up being either pretty good or really bad; there’s rarely a so-so picture.
  2. It’s often pretty dark at a party, so having a lens that can bring in as much of the ambient light as possible is best. The f1.8 is great for that; it allows me to take great pictures without the need of a flash going off…and when you are trying to take pictures of people when they are acting natural, it’s important that they don’t know you’re taking pictures. Most people are camera shy.

A few weeks ago there was a bit of a reunion of sorts at the Daigles house. Danny, one of my old high school religion teachers, was in town and wanted to get everyone together. Danny is actually the reason I decided to get my Bachelor of Education; he inspired me by his way of teaching and passion for youth and their development. He inspired a lot of people, actually….and he still does while teaching at St. Andrew’s High in Victoria BC.

Here are some shots I took at that party. They really capture some moments and give you an idea about what the party was like.

 
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Posted in Personal

 

My Style

23 Sep

I was trying to think about what kind of pictures I like to take and it got me thinking. Do I have a  style? Can my friends look at a picture and say, “I bet Andrew took that” ?

When I have time to make a picture the way that I want to, I think I have more of a style than when it is a real-time situation that I need to capture (couple saying their vows, kids playing soccer, baby playing with a toy, etc). When I have time to setup a shot I think I tend to try to make things look epic. Not dreamy, not blown out, not contrasty or moody, but epic. Colourful, vivid, sharp, and epic.

Here is a contrasting example: the first picture is a natural light shot….it’s posed, but it’s the kind of shot I would take if I didn’t have time to setup the shot the way I wanted. The second is a 2 minute setup and some adjustments on my camera to get what I want.

Both pictures are good in their own right, but the second shot is the kind of shot I like to take. It’s just cool.

When I don’t have time to setup a shot exactly how I want it to be, I have to take what I’m given and work with it…and that’s when I take photos that are a bit more “artsy” and stylized because I have to manipulate what I’m given to try and get something cool. I think most of the time when I am taking photos at events, I’m thinking in the back of my mind “you need to get the kind of pictures that other people can’t get”. I still get the safe shots first, but then I try to see things from a different angle, try to find an interesting framing of a subject, or try to capture a moment that others might miss. If I can get the shots that no one else can get, then my pictures are worth something because they are unique.

I’m sure my style will develop more over time, but that’s how it is right now.

 
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Posted in Personal, Photography

 
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